In brief: Microsoft takes chatbot offline after offensive tweets

Microsoft says it "became aware of a coordinated effort" by some users to abuse its AI software. ﻿

Photo: Ted S. Warren, STF

microsoft

Chatbot offlineafter offensive tweets

Microsoft has taken its artificial intelligence software, which is designed to tweet like a teenage girl, offline after it began spouting offensive remarks.

The company said it is making adjustments to the Twitter chatbot after users found a way to manipulate it into tweeting racist and sexist remarks and even making a reference to Hitler.

It was a short-lived debut. The chatbot made its debut Wednesday using the Twitter account @tayandyou.

Microsoft said Thursday that within 24 hours, the company "became aware of a coordinated effort" by some users to abuse the AI commenting skills.

Wall street

In quiet trading, stock market has weekly loss

The U.S. stock market capped a week of mostly light trading Thursday with its first weekly loss since mid-February.

Trading was relatively quiet ahead of the Easter holiday weekend. U.S. markets will be closed for the Good Friday holiday.

automakers

Volkswagen, Porsche recall 800,000 SUVs

BERLIN - Volkswagen and its Porsche unit say they're recalling a total of 800,000 Touareg and Cayenne SUVs worldwide because of a potential problem with the pedal system.

Volkswagen said it will contact owners of the cars, from the 2011-2016 model years, and aims to examine the vehicles as quickly as possible.

entertainment

Apple plans television series on app economy

Apple announced on Thursday that it was working with the entertainer Will.i.am and two veteran TV executives, Ben Silverman and Howard T. Owens, on a new show, a nonscripted series, that will spotlight the app economy.

media

Sale possible for Playboy Enterprises

Playboy Enterprises, the parent company of the iconic men's magazine, has retained investment bankers and has begun exploring a sale, people with knowledge of the discussions said Thursday.

The magazine dropped most nudity from its pages recently.

in other news

Exxon Mobil Corp. is in advanced talks to acquire a stake in a giant Mozambique natural gas development project from Italy's Eni, the Wall Street Journal reported.

South Korea's Samsung Electronics, the world's largest maker of phones, memory chips and TVs, says it plans to revamp its authoritarian corporate culture to become more like a lean startup as it copes with growing competition.

Shares of Staples and Office Depot soared after a federal judge accused the government of trying to bend a witness's testimony in its case against a merger of the office-supply chains.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said the average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage slipped to 3.71 percent from 3.73 percent last week. The average rate on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages eased to 2.96 percent from 2.99 percent.